Buy and Cell
by Colly's Enny
Summary: Negotiations can become a problem.


Title: Buy and Cell Author: Amelie Vaughn Rating: G Summary: Negotiations can become a problem. Disclaimer: Sadly these characters do not belong to me, they are the work of J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot. All situations are entirely fictional. Note: This is the second in what I like to call The Sark Years. This is my Season Three, editing a few points of the story however. The main thing that you should know is that Irina is presumed dead. Francie is dead. And Will is not. (Don't ask how that happened, I have yet to come up with it) This story follows its own plot line, but you can read them separately. This is the sequel to Q & A & Q Thanks: Many thanks to Alias Boards for the fun and friendships I have made over the year. Thanks to David Anders, the source of my initiative to write. To the members of the unofficial David Anders Fan Club, for getting me hooked on the stuff.  
Feedback: You are not allowed to read this unless you give me feedback!  
Just kidding. It's appreciated though  
  
Buy and Cell  
  
"I'm here without you baby,  
But you're still on my lonely mind.  
I think about you baby,  
And I dream about you all the time."  
-Three Doors Down, Here Without You  
  
"I'm sorry they had to do this to you." Sydney had just walked down the vast corridor to the cell that had held her mother just a few months ago. "But we need to have you secured until the verification is finished." Sark nodded his head. He knew the drill. Irina had told him time and time again  
about her experiences in the CIA's "locker room," as she affectionately called it. He knew that when the list cleared, it was going to clear, he would be set at a desk all day, as long as he cooperated. Sydney analyzed Sark's facial expressions. Even though he remained quiet, she could guess what he was thinking. It was more of a challenge for her though. Sark kept  
all of his feelings inside, putting up a front that even Irina couldn't  
break through.  
  
Irina, Sark thought. How I miss her. As if reading his mind, Sydney spoke.  
  
"Do you miss my mother?" Sark noted the way in which she had phrased the question. She had made it personal. He stored that information in the back  
of his mind for another day.  
  
"Somewhat." He chose his words wisely. "She was a great mentor to me." He  
smiled, and Sydney felt a connection with him that she had never felt before. In fact, she had never been able to connect with anyone regarding her mother. Sydney still believed that her mother wasn't bad. She wanted to  
take that belief to her grave.  
  
"Sydney?" Sark spoke, startling Sydney from her thoughts. "This was the reason I feel I can only speak to you. You are the only person here whose  
goal is not to keep me behind these bars."  
  
Sydney paused for a second to think about her next statement. "Sark, how  
would you feel about talking to Jack?"  
  
"Your father? I don't know." The truth was, that was the last thing Sark  
wanted. Jack knew Irina too well. He would be too vulnerable.  
  
"He feels that he can explain some confidential information in greater detail than I can." With that statement, Sydney knew she had him hook, line  
and sinker. Sark could never pass on knowing more than someone with  
authority over him. Sark thought about this. If he went for it, he would be talking to Jack, his worst nightmare. If he didn't, he would lose possible information, and  
a chance to get out of his cell. "Where do I sign?"  
  
Sydney smiled. "We still have some stuff to work out, but Jack should be here in about 4 hours to negotiate the contract." She stood up, and with a  
nod, walked back down the corridor.  
  
Sark sat in his cell, thinking over what had just happened, and preparing himself for the interrogation he was sure Jack had in store for him. This  
made him feel slightly un-eased, so he started a trick that Irina had  
taught him, Circadian Meditation.  
  
Meanwhile, Sydney was busy giving the good news to Vaughn and Jack. "If this list comes through clean, we will have 47 terrorists to track down."  
Vaughn informed Sydney.  
  
"That's great." Sydney said, a smile starting to shine.  
  
"That's not the bad news," Jack's brows furrowed. "Have you seen the list?"  
  
"No," replied Sydney. "I have been at the nurse's station ever since we got  
back from Korea. Why? Was Sark on the list?"  
  
"Yes," Vaughn answered. "Followed by 46 others, including several well-  
known terrorists, Ivan Schlecter, Krachow Geonowich.and Irina Derevko."  
  
"But." Sydney stumbled over her words. "Isn't she dead?"  
  
Jack dismissed the question, eager to get on with it. "That isn't the half  
of it, Sydney. The final name on that list was Jack Bristow."  
  
"The CIA is looking into it now. If this list is correct, Sloane should be coming in contact with Jack within the next 48 hours. Jack," Vaughn said, revealing a hypodermic needle. "The CIA has ordered me to inject you with Strycodine, better known as the 'Follow Me' bug into your bloodstream. It  
is undetectable, and will flush itself out within a week. You also will need to go to the tech room, we have had Marshall working on a few things for you." Sydney was all to shocked to speak. "We are following up the lead about Irina, Sydney. Keep in mind that we still don't know whether or not  
this list is a product of Mr. Sark's imagination."  
  
Sydney said the next words with a heavy heart. "It isn't. Could he afford  
to make it up?"  
  
-  
-  
"Tell me!" Sydney shouted. "Tell me now! Did you make that list up?"  
  
"Does it matter what I tell you? You will know in a few hours the truth for  
yourself." Sark retorted, surprised at the anger Sydney was exhausting.  
  
Sydney realized she was over-reacting. "I'm sorry, but I need to know."  
  
"Yes," he answered. "But can I ask why?"  
  
"My father, and mother are on that list!" Sydney replied. "And you!"  
  
Sark appeared nonchalant. "Well it seems that the list is a little  
outdated. So what?"  
  
"So what? My father is on the list! The list which you yourself proclaim is  
true." Sydney explained. "That would make my father a candidate for the  
Alliance." She had had enough. Sydney stormed down the hall.  
  
"Now Jack, this underwear is made of a silk and fiber-optic blend. Don't worry, you won't be able to feel the optics because they are woven in as  
thin as possible. Now what this does is transmit back to us images and audio with clarity and peace of mind. They are un-detectable, so even if Sark has you strip down to your skivvies, he won't see a thing. Of course,  
he would be a sick man for even wanting to see you skivvies-"  
  
"Thank you, Marshall." Jack interrupted. "But can I ask 'why the leopard  
print?'"  
  
Marshall took a deep breath. "Well, Sir, I was going to go with your usual silver pair, but the fiber-optics showed. The constantly changing pattern of the leopard spots moved the eye quickly from one point to another sub- consciously. And besides, I like the print. Now, I need to inject you with the Strycodine. Don't worry, it won't hurt at all. I designed it with my  
Aunt Agatha in mind. She hates needles."  
  
"Jack, you will not be followed on this mission. You are to go to your summerhouse in Haiti. Sloane will meet you there -if the list is correct- he won't miss his chance. We want you to get as far into this new Alliance as possible. Tell him you needed a break from work. Irina's death got to you. He should throw all kinds of deals at you. In two days time, you will head home. So enjoy your vacation!" Kendall always enjoyed giving debriefs. However, he hated when Jack came up with a better idea. So just this once,  
he had taken a little liberty in arranging this meeting. He knew Sloane would be watching plane manifests for anyone of his potential partners. The vacation was a perfect cover. "Oh, and if he asks about Sydney, she had a  
friend's wedding to attend." He added.  
  
-  
- Jack had enjoyed his time riding in first class. It wasn't every day he got a real paid vacation from work. He went over his cover in his head. As he got off the plane, he was told there would be a limo. Jack walked up to it and got in. The beach house was nicer than he remembered. Sloane must have fixed it up for Emily, he thought. True, this was the summer home that the two couples had purchased together. It seemed so alive now. Jack couldn't  
come back to it after learning about Irina. The pain was too great. But apparently Sloane had used it to house Emily for the brief deception before the destruction of the old Alliance. He walked into the living room, his  
favorite place in the house.  
  
"Jack, good to see you." A familiar face looked at him from behind the  
tawny loveseat. "I have a proposition for you."  
  
-  
- "We just got conformation from Jack, the list is a go, repeat, the list is a go!" Kendall loved being the one to break good news. He watched as Sydney  
started down the path that had be worn down since Irina's arrival.  
-  
- "So the list has been authenticated." Sydney said, hoping to give Sark some good news. "We will start on it tomorrow. Jack should be back any minute to  
have you sign that contract."  
  
Sark didn't know what to say. " Thank you for letting me know. I guess this  
means your mother is still out there."  
  
"Yes, I knew it inside all along." Sydney paused, holding back the emotions she would not let herself feel. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad  
she's still out there."  
  
Sark looked into her eyes. "Me too, Sydney, me too."  
  
As Sydney walked down the corridor, past the other 46 cells, she allowed the tears to fall freely onto her cheeks. But only for a few minutes, she  
had a long day ahead of her. 


End file.
